Feb 12: Pakistan army today suffered heavy casualties in retaliatory fire by the Indian troops after ceasefire violation on the Line of Control (LoC) in Krishna Ghati sector of Poonch district.A high alert is being maintained on the LoC as well as the International Border (IB) and the hinterland in Jammu following multiple firing incidents in Rajouri, Poonch and Jammu districts on the LoC to thwart possibility of terror attack in case of infiltration from across.
Sources said Pakistan army resorted to ceasefire violation on the LoC in Krishna Ghati sector of Poonch district this afternoon prompting immediate retaliation from the Indian side. Indian retaliation led to heavy casualties on Pakistan side.
While exact number of casualties couldn’t be ascertained immediately, it was stated to be “at least five”.
The ceasefire violation by Pakistan in the Krishna Ghati sector came a day after two Indian Army personnel including a Captain were martyred in an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) explosion triggered by suspected terrorists near the LoC in the Akhnoor sector of Jammu district.
Pakistani troops violated the ceasefire by resorting to unprovoked firing on a forward post in the Tarkundi area along the LoC, in Poonch district prompting a strong retaliation by the Indian Army.
The Indian Army neither confirmed nor denied the information.
Following four to five incidents of firing on the LoC in Rajouri, Poonch and Jammu districts in sudden spurt in Pakistan army’s attempts to infiltrate terrorists into this side, a high alert has been sounded on LoC and IB besides general area of the Jammu region to thwart any terror act.
Army and BSF have been maintaining alert on LoC and IB respectively while police has been asked to brace up patrolling in the areas falling close to the borders to ensure that the terrorists don’t succeed in their designs.
Meanwhile, a Junior Commissioned Officer (JCO) of the Indian Army was slightly injured when he accidentally stepped over a landmine in the same sector this evening.
The JCO Shamas Din is a resident of Mendhar and was part of a patrolling party keeping a close vigil on the LoC to prevent infiltration of terrorists, the officials said, adding the injured officer was evacuated to the Military Hospital.
The situation along the LoC is tense following a spurt in hostile activities from across the border over the past week, they said.
Today’s incident was the major ceasefire violation this year and a fourth cross-border incident in five days.
On Monday, a soldier was hit by a bullet from across the border while manning a forward post in the Kalal area of the Nowshera sector in Rajouri district while an Army patrol came under terrorist fire from a forest across the LoC in Rajouri’s Keri sector on February 8. The terrorists were apparently waiting for an opportunity to sneak into the Indian side. On February 11, two soldiers including a Captain were martyred in Bhattal area of Akhnoor sector.
Earlier during the intervening night of February 4 and 5, a land mine explosion reportedly resulted in some casualties to terrorists attempting to infiltrate into the Indian side from across the LoC in the Krishna Ghati sector of Poonch district.
On February 10, General Officer Commanding of the Jammu-based White Knight Corps, Lieutenant General Navin Sachdeva, reviewed “hostile activities” along the LoC in Rajouri district.
Meanwhile, Army troops today recovered a rusted mortar shell near the LoC in Poonch district.
The mortar shell was found lying in an open area in the Mankote sector of Mendhar sub-division.
Army cordoned off the area and its experts later removed the mortar shell.
